Reel Love
by iloveromance
Summary: Humiliated when her father interrupts her date with Elliot, Sarah Baker is convinced that she'll never date again. But things have a funny way of working out even in the worst of circumstances. Based on a scene from the 2002 movie "Cheaper By the Dozen 2" staring Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt and Eugene Levy.


As her father started the car and pulled out of the Cineplex 12 parking lot, Sarah Baker couldn't bring herself to look at him. How could she, when he'd ruined what was supposed to be the most magical night of her life?

Finally she'd gotten Elliot Murtaugh to notice her as a _girl _and not just one of the guys. She'd lived with her tomboy image her whole life (thirteen years to be exact), and even though she was only in her first year as a teenager, her life was changing before her eyes. Suddenly Elliot was more than just a kid to play baseball with. He was…. _cute_. And that led to a magnitude of problems.

She had no idea how to act around him and she was completely self-conscious about her appearance. And when he'd finally asked her the question she'd been waiting to hear, she couldn't wait to ask her parent's permission. It was a huge risk, because her father and Elliot's father couldn't stand each other, for reasons that neither she nor Elliot could understand. But it was a risk that she was willing to take.

As she expected, her older sister Lorraine was absolutely thrilled when Sarah announced that she had her first date and even accepted Sarah's request for a makeover. And when Lorraine was finished with her handiwork, Sarah couldn't believe that the image she was seeing in the mirror was really her. As she walked out of the house and stood on the porch, the looks on her parent's faces told her that they approved.

After an agonizing wait, Elliot finally arrived in his dad's car (with his dad behind the wheel) looking so cute in his blue shirt that she could feel her heart racing like crazy and she prayed that he would find her attractive in her makeup and her hair falling gently onto her shoulders. He had no idea how long she agonized over what to wear, finally deciding on a white lacy shirt and blue jeans shorts. Comfortable, but much more feminine than clothes she normally wore.

She waved goodbye to her family, mouthing a silent goodbye and thanks to Lorraine and climbed into the car. Soon they were on their way to the movie theatre. She was so nervous that she could barely talk, but she managed to find things to say. Just because she was trying harder to look and act like a girl, didn't mean that she couldn't bring up the subjects of baseball and stuff that mostly appealed to boys. Elliot's dad dropped them off, promising that he would pick them up after the movie was over and then handed Elliot some money.

When they arrived at the box office, Elliot paid for two tickets to "Ice Age" (a movie they'd both been dying to see) and even bought Sarah a drink and some popcorn. They made their way into the theatre and found two seats on the first level, right in the middle where they had a perfect view of the screen. This night was starting out to be the greatest night of her life. They were soon engrossed in the movie and she felt chills run up her spine when she felt Elliot slip his arm around her shoulders. It was so easy to snuggle next to him, as she'd done so many times in her dreams. But it wasn't meant to be.

The sound of arguing voices could be heard from being them and when they turned around, she was appalled to find her father and Elliot's father sitting in the balcony arguing like two kids. The idea that her dad had followed her there to spy on her was the most humiliating thing she could have imagined. But the humiliation was only beginning. Their fathers started grabbing one anther until her dad was literally dangling from the balcony waving hello as though it was the most natural thing in the world.

And then to her dismay, Elliot turned to her and sighed. "We should probably go." And thus their magical evening came to an abrupt end.

Now as they drove toward home, Sarah stared out of the window. She could hear her father going on and on about how he was sorry if he embarrassed her but that he had done it for her own good. Eliot Murtaugh was bad news and she'd thank him when she was older. However nothing could have been further from the truth.

She'd never forgive him for this… never. He kept talking but she paid no attention and when he finally got a clue, he shut up and they rode the rest of the way home in silence.

"Sarah I said I was sorry!" He pleaded as she got out of the car and slammed the door, storming into the house. It was getting harder and harder to hold in her tears and when she found herself face to face with her mom and her brothers and sisters, she no longer cared what she looked like.

Her mother looked up from her book. "Hi honey, how'd it go?"

"Sarah, listen to me, okay? It was for your own good!" her dad said. "Why don't we talk about this?"

"There's nothing to talk about!" Sarah yelled. "You ruined everything and I'll never forgive you!"

"I didn't ruin anything! I just-."

Her mother sighed. "Oh Tom, what did you do?"

"Nothing, Katie, I just-."

"You ruined my life!" Sarah yelled. "You and Mr. Murtaugh were spying on us! And then you got into a fight and almost fell off of the balcony!"

"Dad, how could you?" Lorraine said, appearing in the doorway.

"It doesn't matter anyway." Sarah cried. "I'll never go on another date again! Eliot probably hates me!"  
"Oh honey, he doesn't." Her mother said.

"How do you know?" Sarah yelled, hating that she was shouting at her mother. "Have you ever been humiliated on a date before?"

"Sarah-."

"I'm going to bed! Goodnight!" Sarah said. Against the protests of her family, she ran to her bedroom and slammed the door. She ran to her bed and flung herself on it, sobbing into her pillow. In the distance she could hear the muffled voices of her family shouting at one another, hopefully at her dad. He deserved it.

Minutes later she heard knocking on the door. Probably her dad wanting to give her some lame talk about how the same thing happened to him when he was her age and that it was for her own good. But she wasn't about to talk to him-ever again.

"Go away!" She yelled.

"Sarah, it's Lorraine." Her sister's muffled voice said. "Can I come in?"

The door opened and Sarah sat up, wiping the tears from her eyes. Her sister's sympathetic smile only made her cry again and Lorraine went to the bed and sat down beside Sarah, running her finger through her hair. "I'm sorry about what happened tonight." She said quietly.

"He ruined everything!" Sarah sobbed into Lorraine's shoulder." Elliot and I weren't doing anything! We were just watching the movie and he put his arm around me. It felt… good. But then Dad and Mr. Murtaugh started fighting."

Lorraine rolled her eyes and sighed. "God, Sarah that's humiliating and I hope Mom told him off! He had no right to do that!"

"Why didn't he just trust me?" Sarah cried. "I really like Elliot and now he probably hates me!"

"No way. He likes you… a lot. And believe me, you're going to have lots of guys who like you. " Lorraine said, smiling as she rubbed Sarah's back. "Look, I know I'm not a good role model at all according to Mom and Dad, but I'm flattered that you came to me for advice about boys and to give you a makeover. It was fun! And the next time you want to go out, maybe we can double date? I mean who better to make sure you're having a good time than your big sister?"

"You'd do that for me?" Sarah asked.

"Of course!" Lorraine replied. "You're my sister!"

"Thanks." The two sisters' fierce hug was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in." Lorraine said.

To Sarah's relief it was her mother who stood there with a smile on her face. "You have a visitor, Sarah."

Sarah and Lorraine exchanged glances. "Well, go on!" Lorraine encouraged.

Sarah rose from her bed and brushed the tears from her cheeks as she headed into the living room. To her surprise, Eliot was standing in the doorway, accompanied by her father.

"Hey." Elliot said shyly.

"Hi." Sarah replied.

"Can we talk for a minute?"

She glanced at her father, who nodded and smiled. "Go ahead."

Sarah followed Elliot outside and they sat down on the porch swing. After the most awkward period of silence she could have imagined, he finally spoke. "Look, I'm sorry about that. I swear I didn't mean for that to happen."

"Me neither. And I'm sorry about my dad, too. My mom and my family really let him have it!"

Elliot laughed. "Mine too."

"Well, I guess we can go back to the way we were, playing baseball and all of that. I guess I wasn't cut out to be a girl anyway."

He looked her up and down and smiled. "Actually I think you're really pretty."

She blushed fiercely, unable to believe that he'd said the words. "Y-you do?"

Now it was Elliot's turn to blush. "Yeah."

"T-thanks." She stammered.

Another period of silence passed, interrupted only by the sounds of crickets and frogs in the distance before it was broken again. And then as in the movie theatre,

Elliot's arm went around her and she leaned her head against his shoulder closing her eyes.

"Sarah?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you… go out with me again?"

Her eyes widened and she couldn't stop grinning. "Really?"

"Yeah, and I can guarantee that our dad's won't bother us this time. They've both been banned from the Cineplex 12 for life!"

Sarah giggled. "Really?"

"Yeah, I couldn't believe it either, but it's true! The manager called and said he'd better not see our dad's anywhere near that place again!"

Suddenly Sarah and Elliot were laughing uncontrollably and on impulse he leaned to hug her. It felt so good to be hugged by him that her laughter died down and she just stayed still for a few moments, while he held her.

Slowly they drew apart and smiled at each other, but the way he was looking at her was different… almost the way Lorraine's boyfriends looked at Lorraine when Sarah spied on them.

"Sarah?"

"Yeah?"

"Um… is it all right if I kiss you?"

Her heart was beating so fast and loud that she was certain he could hear it. "Yeah it's okay."

Slowly they moved closer to one another until their lips touched in the most perfect kiss imaginable. And seconds later they heard his mother's voice.

"Elliot! Time to come home!"

"I've gotta go." Elliot said. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Definitely!"

"Okay. Oh, and I'll ask my parents when we can go out again. Would that be okay?"

She blushed once more. "Sure it's okay."

She watched him run to his house until he disappeared from sight and then hugged her arms to her body before walking inside the house. Her dad was standing in front of the television.

"Hi Dad."

He smiled sadly. "Sarah, I'm sorry about all of that at the theatre. And I should have said it earlier but you look very beautiful tonight."

She felt tears on her cheeks and she hugged her dad tightly. "Thanks Dad. I love you."

"I love you too, Sweetheart. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Dad."

With a smile on her face she ran to her room and flopped on her bed, hugging her pillow to her chest. She could hardly wait for her second date.

But the first date wasn't so bad after all.

THE END


End file.
